INVESTIGATORS are probing whether the Air India crash which killed 260 people was caused by sabotage.
A total of 52 Brits died when the Boeing 787 Dreamliner slammed into a medical college after both engines appeared to fail moments after take-off.
All but one of the 242 passengers and crew died with Vishwash Ramesh, 40, the only one to survive.
Nineteen individuals lost their lives on the ground in Ahmedabad, and the Indian authorities have now disclosed that air safety investigators are considering the possibility of sabotage as a cause.
Murlidhar Mohol, India’s Minister of State for Civil Aviation, stated, “The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has initiated a comprehensive investigation. Every aspect is being examined, including the potential of sabotage.”
While there has been earlier speculation regarding potential sabotage, this marks the first official acknowledgment by authorities that it could be a factor in the crash.
The pilot of Air India 171, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 55, frantically radioed air traffic control moments after take-off on June 12 to yell: “No thrust… May Day…May Day.”
Both engines appeared to have lost power – an incredibly rare occurrence described by experts as a “one in a billion event”.
And the AAIB is now looking into whether it was caused by fuel contamination as a result of a deliberate act.
Mr Mohol said: “The CCTV footage is being reviewed and all angles are being assessed… several agencies are working on it.
“Once the report comes, we will be able to ascertain if it was an engine problem or fuel supply issue or why both the engines had stopped functioning.
“There is a CVR (cockpit voice recorder) in the black box which has stored the conversation between the two pilots.
“It is too early to say anything but whatever it is, it will come out. The report will come in three months.”
The plane’s black box has been found at the crash site and is now being analysed in India.
It includes a Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) which records data such as altitude and speed and the Cockpit Voice Recorder which retains anything the pilots say as well as background noise.
Mr Mohol dismissed reports that the black box would be sent abroad for scrutiny.
He said: “It will not go anywhere. It is in AAIB’s custody and there is no need to send it outside. We will do the entire investigation.”
He also reassured passengers that air travel in India – particularly on the country’s 33 Dreamliners – was safe.
He said: “All 33 Dreamliners have been inspected on the orders of the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation). Everything was found safe. That is why I said it was a rare accident. People are no longer scared and travelling comfortably.”
The flight reached an altitude of just 625 feet before gliding down and crashing 33 seconds after take-off.
It hit the hostel of a medical college where hundreds of students and staff were having lunch.
Vishwash Ramesh, of Leicester, was the only person on the plane to survive after crawling out of the mangled fuselage.
Tragically his brother Ajay, 35, died on the plane.
Married dad-of-one Vishwash later told The Sun his escape was a miracle but revealed he was traumatised that Ajay had died.
He said: “I tried to get two seats together but someone had already got one. Me and Ajay would have been sitting together.
“But I lost his brother in front of my eyes. So now I am constantly thinking ‘Why can’t I save my brother?’
“It’s a miracle I survived. I am okay physically but I feel terrible that I could not save Ajay.”
